The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-09
ArIcREss OF THE FoRTIEs.
One OF the Women Who Belonged to
Kissane's Band.

NEW YORK, April SIN connection with
the Indictment for forgery against William
Kissane, now the wealthy William K.
Rogers of Sonoma, Cal, which has rested in
the Court of General Sessions here for over
thirty years, there are some interesting cir
cumstances coming to light. Sidney c. Bur-
ton, the Cleveland man who followed
Kissane for years, and who spent $59,0OO in
the endeavor to bring him to justice, kept
complete record of all his movements. One
of his most formidable foes was a woman,
the wife of Capt Cummings, who command
ed the Martha Washington, the boat that
kissane and his fell0w-cOnspirat0rs burned
on the Mississippi, The captain owned an
interest in the boat and the efforts Of Mr..
Burton to prevent the payment of what he
knew to be fraudulent Insurance claims
greatly infuriated the woman, who was of
the most desperate character. Mr.. Burton,
IN his own writing. tells of his first encoun-
ter with her in the following manner:
"All other interviews having failed to win
me over, they the conspiratorsl invited me
TO Cummings room at the Walnut Street
House, Cincinnati, probably to make me
nnal and more liberal proposal. / went, and
Cummings commenced entreating me to
stand by him, with the assurance that every
thing should be right, when Mrs. Cummings
stepped into the room. Her appearance at
tacted my. attention. She was dashing
woman, with compact figure, handsome
face, black hair, and jet black eyes that
flashed like Goals of fire. She said not a
word, but commenced pacing up and down
the room with nervous step, occasionally
glanclng at me with strange vindictive ex-
preston. She reminded me of tigreSs
walking up and down in a cage. watched
her closely, what she would say or do, when
sne remarked in short, sharp voice, i can
MT quarter of a dollar across this room
every time A circumstance which l am
about to relate induced me to believe that
sne might whip out pistol and shoot me on
the spot. thought. in view of the case,
that discretion was the better part of valor,
ana not wishing to furnish target for the
pistol practice of an infuriated woman, l
hastily excused myself ON the plea of an
other engagement. The circumstance to
which l allude and from which had pre-
viously gained some idea of Mrs. Cum
mingSs character is as follows:
'She was sister of the Chapins, residing
lnlClnclnnati, when she became acquainted
with and formed an attachment for Cum
mlngs, who promised to marry her. This
was some time before the Mexican war
Cummings, however. did not see fit to keep
his word, and during the war went to Mexi-
co with Rufus and Adam Chaplin and Kim
ball, where they kept gambling shop on the
Rlo Grande. They were getting along in a
fiourishing way when they were startled by
a strange and unexpected arrival, 1t seems
that Mrs. Cummings, (then Miss Chapm,)
feeling her dignity wounded by what she
supposed to be the desertion of the Captain,
determined to vindicate the wrong of her sex
and compel the faithless lover to fulfill his
pledge. She set about doing this in curious
fashion. The indignant girl dressed herself
In complete suit of mems clothing, armed
herself with a brace of pistols, and started
with brave heart on her distant Journey
She found her way without detection
to 1.-THE Rio Grande, and hunted up the
location selected by Cummings and the COM
pany. On the day of her arrival the unsus-
pecting Cummings was dealing faro in the
shop, when in came the affianced lady, She
jerked out pistol pointed it at Cummings's
lead, and addressed him flercely: Capt.
Cummings, you can either marry me or take
this in your head" In the midst of the
Captains CONSERVATION, he found breath
enough to say: why, Allie, my dear, is
that you?" He very sensibly determined to
marry her, and the ceremony was performed
by priest the same day. 1t was knowl-
edge of this history that induced me to take
rather hasty leave of Capt. Cummings
apartments"
Subsequently, Mr. Burton, in his pursuit
of the criminals, found Capt. Cummings in a
gambling den in New Orleans. On This oc-
casion, Mrs. Cummings, who was with her
husband, attacked Mr.. Burton with gun
and knife, but friend arrived at the scene
in time to save his life.